Our Last Meeting–What a fun night it was! We had a great time eating, chatting and shopping. Many of our Moms listed on the WAHM page had booths set up to check out–Debbie and her baking, Krisiti & Print with Personality, Kelly & her photography business called In His Image, Marcy and Creative Memories, Carrie and Total Wellness, and Denise with Tastefully Simple. Both Debbie and Denise brought YUMMY samples for us! We also had time to do our nails, chat, and take advantage of 10 minute massages.
The Do-It-Yourself Pedicure May 23, 2008
From June 2008 Better Homes and Gardens
Here are some tips I read tonight that may help you get more use out of the MOPS gift you got last Tuesday!
1. Clip Overgrown Nails and remove old polish.
2. Use a Dry-Skin File to whilttle away stubborn calluses. (If you suffer from multiple conditions such as cracked soles, calluses or corns, don’t attemp to fix these yourself. Seek the help of a podiatrist.)
3. Soak Feet in warm, soapy water for 10 minutes, then exfoliate using a grainy scrub on feet, heels and legs. Rinse
4. Gently push back cuticles and use a manicure stick to clean under toenails.
5. Slather cream on legs and feet. Clean nail beds with nail polish remover.
6. Paint on a base coat, two coats of color and a top coat of color. Wait at least 20 minutes for toe nails to dry.
Looking Ahead to Next Year May 15, 2008
Join the Adventure!
The MOPS International theme for 2008-09 is Adventures in Mothering. This theme equips us as moms to learn more about ourselves as we go through the adventure of motherhood. We can celebrate and embrace the fun in the experiences, even in the midst of daily mom life that stretches us emotionally and spiritually.
The metaphor for Adventures in Mothering is an amusement park. With the sights, sounds, tastes and smells of the amusement park, motherhood might feel like a sensory overload. But we can all enjoy this together and learn more about themselves as women, moms and leaders.
The theme verse for Adventures in Mothering is Ephesians 3:18: “…how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ.” The dimensions of this verse express how God is with us in our mothering adventure. The knowledge that God is with us on the mothering adventure gives hope. God’s love is big enough for the magnitude of the adventure! We can’t wait for you to join us again next fall!
Punishment Vs. Discipline May 15, 2008
An Important Distinction
There’s a big difference between punishment and discipline. Punishment gives a negative consequence, but discipline means “to teach.” Punishment is negative; discipline is positive. Punishment focuses on past misdeeds. Discipline focuses on future good deeds. Punishment is often motivated by anger. Discipline is motivated by love. Punishment focuses on justice to balance the scales. Discipline focuses on teaching, to prepare for next time.
The child who teases relentlessly, the child who whines for a snack, and the child who bickers with his brother all have one thing in common: a need to change patterns of behavior and a need to change the heart. Some parents only use punishment or anger to motivate their children to act differently. This attitude says, “If I just point out the problem enough times, he’ll eventually change.”
What these kids really need is firm correction with a positive focus. Be sure to tell your children what they should do in place of the unwanted behavior. Teach them right responses to replace the negative ones. Have them practice doing the right thing before they are free to go. It takes more work to discipline instead of punish but the rewards are certainly worth it. Children grow and develop new patterns of healthy responses.
This idea was taken from the book Home Improvement, The Parenting Book You Can Read to Your Kids by Dr. Scott Turansky and Joanne Miller, RN BSN.
Books! May 13, 2008
Did you know this week is Children’s Book Week? (Yeah, neither did I) We have started reading chapter books to my older son–at “almost 5″ we realized he’s old enough to follow along and I realized it helps with reading comprehension skills. We do it after his younger brother goes to bed and he enjoys the one-on-one time. So far he’s loved Little House in the Big Woods (I refuse to think it’s a girl’s book!) and The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe. He and his dad are reading the Narnia books and he and I are now working on Little House on the Prairie. I hope he doesn’t get the books confused! 
Here is a site that lists some more book suggestions (and clued me to this week). Check out her site and click on the link to The Children’s Book Council–they’re having a book sale!)
Do you have any books you remember loving as a child, or ones you’ve started reading to your older kids?
On A More Serious Note May 13, 2008
Click here to read why you should stop using antibacterial soaps. (Aside from the fact that they work no better than regular soap.)
A Bit of Humor May 9, 2008
JACK (age 3) was watching his Mom breast-feeding his New baby sister. After awhile he asked: “Mom, Is one for hot and one for cold milk?”
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MELANIE (age 5) asked her Granny how old she was. Granny replied she was so old she didn’t remember any more. Melanie said, “If you don’t remember you look in the back of your panties, mine says “five to six”.
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STEVEN (age 3) hugged and kissed his Mom goodnight. “I love you so much, that when you die I’m going to bury you outside my bedroom window.”
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BRITTANY (age 4) had an earache and wanted a painkiller. She tried in vain to take the lid off the bottle. Seeing her frustration, her Mom explained it was a childproof cap and she’d have to open it for her. Eyes wide with wonder, the little girl asked: “How does it know it’s me?”
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SUSAN (age 4) was drinking juice when she got the hiccups. “Please don’t give me this juice again,” she said, “It makes my teeth cough.”
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D.I. (age 4) stepped onto the bathroom scale and asked: “How much do I cost?”
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MARC (age 4) was engrossed in a young couple that were hugging and kissing in a restaurant. Without taking his eyes off them, he asked his dad: “Why is he whispering in her mouth?”
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CLINTON (age 5) was in his bedroom looking worried. When his Mom asked what was troubling him, he replied, “I don’t know what’ll happen with this bed when I get married. How will my wife fit in?”
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JAMES (age 4) was listening to a Bible story. His dad read: “The man named Lot was warned to take his wife and flee out of the city, but his wife looked back and was turned to salt.”
Concerned, little James asked: “What happened to the flea?”
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TAMMY (age 4) was with her mother when they met an elderly, rather wrinkled woman her Mom knew. Tammy looked at her for a while and then asked, “Why doesn’t your skin fit your face?”
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The Sermon I think this Mom will never forget…
This particular Sunday sermon… “Dear Lord,” the minister began, with arms extended toward heaven and a rapturous look on his upturned face. “Without you, we are but dust.”
He would have continued but at that moment my very obedient daughter (who was listening!) leaned over to me and asked quite audibly in her shrill little girl voice, “Mom, what is butt dust?”
Author Unknow…but I had to share the laughs I got from this!
Family Picnic! (Updated) May 7, 2008
May 17th @ 11-1 is our MOPS Family Picnic, at River Heritage Park. The park is northeast of 116th St. and Hazel Dell. You can click on the name of the park for more about the park (or click here for a map). Basic directions from the church are to go South on Hazel Dell, turn East on 116th and then go North on River Road. NOTE: This is NOT the same park as River Road Park. The park is just a minute or so north on River Road, and shares a driveway with the water treatment plant. Turn right onto that side road, and right again onto a dirt road (that looked like a wide path to me) and you’ll see the parking lot just past the volley ball courts. Also, you could normally take 131st St. to River Road and go south, but a bridge is under construction on 131st and it is closed betweeen Hazel Dell and River. So 116th is better, I promise!
We will provide meat, drinks and table services, we’re asking you to bring a side or dessert to share. If your last name is A-M, bring a side. If your last name is N-Z, bring a dessert. We will be serving the food at 11.
You will get an evite for it, PLEASE RSVP to that so we can have enough meat for everyone!
MOPS Meeting 5/6 May 7, 2008
Oh, we had a fun night last night! I’m sorry for those of you who couldn’t join us. I sure got some good laughs in. I also was said I forgot my camera! We had a good laugh with Vicki and her attempts to be organized. (She was taking lessons from Missy’s Table Talk last month and wanted to get a pack of highlighters to organize a time table chart. Various problems occurred and now Vicki has 3 packs of highlighters–so she’ll be 3 times as organized, right?!?) Vicki also shared some thoughts on our theme for the month, the Back Yard.
Sandy reminded us our influence goes past our children–it can go on to our grandkids and great-grandkids. What a reminder of how important our jobs as moms are!
We then played a crazy relay race. I know I got such a good laugh while it was my turn! And we had fun watching other people laugh while they attempted it.
Then we did our craft. Allyson provided every one with a huge hand out of summer craft/activity ideas. (If you missed this week, we do have extras you can take next week. Or, you can look under “Activities to Do With Kids” and you’ll see some very similar ideas! We got them from the same source!) She also provided us with boxes and supplies to make our own family craft box. Everyone had a great time coming up with fun ideas we could do with the kids. AND–this is a BIG deal for those of you who know her (and again, I’m regretting my lack of a camera)–for the FIRST TIME in THREE YEARS Holli W. participated in a craft. Not only that, Kelly W. was copying Holli’s idea. Shocking!
Announcements:
- We have several memebers expecting babies this summer! If you are interested in helping with meals, please let Mindy know.
- Saturday, May 18th, is our Family Picnic, at 11 am at River Heritage Park. I have so much to say about it, it’s getting it’s own post!
- Our next meeting (May 20th) is our last meeting and Spa Night. Come for a night of shopping (we’ll have several booths set up for people from our group who have at-home businesses), eating, and pampering.
A Practical Way to Teach Values May 4, 2008
Here’s a practical and effective way to teach values in your family–explain the reasons behind your rules.
When you think of rules, you may just think of a list of do’s and don’ts that you are trying to impress upon your children. Rules can be much more than that though. They can be used as the vehicle to communicate values to your children. When rules are implemented and used correctly, children will learn not only to say “Excuse me” before interrupting a conversation, but more importantly, they will learn to respect others and see the value of listening to others first before speaking.
Ask yourself why you require your five-year-old to stay in the yard or your teenager to check in regularly. These are safety issues and develop a sense of accountability to others.
Why do you ask your son to make his bed every day or your daughter to clean and vacuum her room on Saturday? It has to do with the value of neatness and self discipline. Take time to talk about the values, not just the rules.
We all have values that we somehow wish our children would develop and take on as their own. As they grow, our children will evaluate our values and choose the ones they understand and can relate to. You have a window of opportunity with your children in which you can teach them the values that you embrace.
Rules are values put into action. They show children what values look like, how to put them into practice, and why they are important. If we want our children to embrace our values, we need to teach them what these values are and how to implement them in their lives. Rules become a good vehicle to teach children the things that are most important to us.
While you’re pondering this idea, consider some of the reasons for the rules God has for his children. It’s a good way to connect with the things that are most valuable to God and his family.
This idea was taken from the book, “Home Improvement, The Parenting Book You Can Read to Your Kids,” by Dr. Scott Turansky and Joanne Miller, RN, BSN.
